UE5 Real Time VFX Artist

at  Dominic Harris Studio

JOB OVERVIEW

We are seeking a talented Real-Time VFX Artist with a strong grasp of Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) to create visually stunning and optimised real-time visual effects. The ideal candidate will have advanced skills in Niagara, materials/shaders, lighting, and environment design, with a solid foundation in basic 3D modelling.
You will collaborate closely with the design and art teams to craft immersive and high-performance effects that enhance the people’s experience while maintaining Visual beauty and technical excellence. This role emphasises creativity, technical expertise, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of what is possible with real-time VFX.

REQUIREMENTSTECHNICAL SKILLS

• Proficiency in Unreal Engine 5, with a focus on Niagara particle systems and VFX pipelines, including debugging and optimisation techniques.
• Advanced knowledge of materials/shaders in UE5, including PBR workflows, custom node setups, and shader complexity analysis.
• Strong experience with lighting, dynamic effects, and creating mood-enhancing environment designs in Unreal Engine.
• Experience with basic 3D modelling, UV unwrapping, and texturing using tools like Blender, Maya, c4d or 3ds Max.
• Familiarity with HLSL for shader development and optimisation, with an understanding of how to balance artistic vision and performance requirements.
• Strong understanding of real-time rendering techniques, GPU performance considerations, and memory management.
• At least 1 year of professional experience working in real-time VFX, game development, or a related field.

ARTISTIC SKILLS

• Strong eye for detail, colour, motion, and timing in creating impactful effects that support interaction and artistic vision.
• Understanding of visual storytelling and how VFX, lighting, and environment design can enhance player immersion and narrative engagement.
• Ability to adapt art styles based on the project’s aesthetic requirements, whether photorealistic or stylised.

GENERAL SKILLS

• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities, with a proven track record of collaborating effectively across disciplines.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail, with the ability to troubleshoot and iterate quickly.
• Self-motivated with a proactive approach to challenges, eager to learn and share knowledge within the team.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with real-time physics-based simulations, integrating them into interactive environments.
• Background in game development or a related field, with familiarity with iterative development processes.
• Experience in Immersive Installations or in unreal Volumes.
• Knowledge of Python or Blueprint scripting in Unreal Engine.
• Previous work in AAA or high-quality indie game projects, with a portfolio showcasing real-time VFX expertise and technical versatility.
  Job Type: Full-time
  Pay: £30,000.00-£45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Private medical insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• Unreal Engine VFX: 1 year (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Location:

• London (required)

Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 09/02/202

• Design and implement real-time visual effects in Unreal Engine 5 using Niagara and custom shaders, ensuring alignment with artistic direction.
• Create optimised and visually stunning materials using UE5’s shader tools, with a focus on maintaining high performance.
• Develop high-quality VFX assets, such as particle effects, fluid simulations, explosions, and environmental effects, to enrich the visual storytelling.
• Enhance environments with integrated lighting and VFX, creating immersive worlds that support narrative elements.
• Ensure performance optimisation of VFX assets for real-time gameplay, leveraging profiling tools to diagnose and resolve bottlenecks.
• Collaborate with designers, animators, and environment artists to ensure seamless integration of effects into the virtual world, maintaining a cohesive visual language.
• Utilise HLSL for custom shader writing when needed, ensuring technical feasibility and creative fidelity.
• Support prototyping and troubleshooting technical VFX challenges, offering innovative solutions and workflows.
• Working with backend and tools team to allow data driven movement and Visual changes As well as help inform them how data needs to be formatted
• Maintain a clear and organized workflow, adhering to the project’s pipelines and